Politics Summer School 2017 – Additional dates added 21st-25th August

This is an exciting time for UK politics, no matter where you see yourself on the political spectrum. Brexit offers significant challenges and opportunities to both left and right, while the election of Donald Trump looks to usher in a new era of global economic and military relations.

At the Politics Summer School we will be exploring the underlying reasons for the radical shifts of recent years, and equipping students with the knowledge and analytical tools to begin to develop their own opinions as to where we will go next, and how they might be a part of those changes.

With seminars and workshops on both political science and theory, including the nature of democracy, representation and freedom, human rights, populist movements and political economy, this Summer School offers a fast-paced and fascinating look at a discipline which is in a state of very rapid development.

This five-day Summer School for students aged 15-18 offers a stimulating combination of practical activities, (including an extended Mock Parliament), and seminars on key topics in political philosophy, as well as workshops on political campaigning and briefings on key policy areas.

This event is well suited to anyone who is interested in a political career, or who would like to know how to get more involved or informed about the world around them. It is particularly recommended for anyone considering Politics, PPE or related disciplines at university.

Course highlights for 2017 include:

Seminars on key concepts in political theory such as liberty, equality, and representation. We will engage with some classic texts and thought experiments, as well as looking at how we can apply theories and philosophies in contemporary contexts.

A full day Mock Parliament in which participants form parties and take the roles of MPs and Ministers, debating and voting on bills, taking account of constituency opinions, party lines and personal views.

A look at the wider European picture – in the past few years ‘outsider’ and populist political movements have gained in momentum and popularity all across Europe. We will be asking what has prompted this shift in the political landscape, and whether any of these movements represent a genuine long term challenge to ‘business as usual’.

A critical look at the new world of ‘post-fact’ politics and how we might successfully navigate it both as individuals and as democratic societies.

The cost of the five-day course is £475 and it will be held at the University of London in Bloomsbury on the 24th-28th July, and additional dates now added on the 21st-25th August – please check the website for current availability. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

There is bursary funding available for those who would otherwise have financial difficulty in attending – please see our website for details.